Lennon v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance

In an action of contract a widow seeks to recover as beneficiary the proceeds of a policy of insurance on the life of her husband.

The jury could have found facts as follows: In March, 1950, the insured noted the onset of hoarseness. At first it occurred only with nervousness, but later it became constant. On June 26 of that year he was an outpatient at a hospital where a biopsy was performed upon him. The procedure was as follows: A laryngoscope, or hollow tube, was put down his throat to the left of the larynx, and in it a long handled pair of biopsy scissors was placed and a small bit of…